I read The Poisonwood Bible a few years ago and plot, characterization, dialogue, etc. are all at least competent - but I think it is lame* and politically objectionable to set a narrative about Westerners in an African country. Sure, there were Congolese characters, but they (and the impossibly exciting and interesting and heartbreaking phase their country was going through) served primarily as backdrop/foils for the missionary family. So I guess my answer is: I can't. I loathed that book.
* I mean, for real. A continent of 53 countries can't provide engaging stories dominated by people actually from there? Oh, wait, it totally can (Adichie) and you don't even have to be like the kind of people you're writing about to be possessed of enough empathy and creativity to do it well (McCall Smith.) And I don't mean writing about Africa (if I may be permitted to make grandiose statements about a really big complicated place) should be devoid of Westerners/outsiders - I just despise the kind of writing that uses this mythic notion of wild dark Africa as an exotic backdrop for the essentially self-involved concerns of white people kitted out in safari garb.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire